Ruler of the Royal Domain.
Neptune then retreated into the fo'c'sle for refreshment and remained there until darkness came. Then a barrel filled with oakum and oil and tar was set on fire and put afloat. It sailed away in the night. It was "Neptune's boat," and he was going back to his royal domains.
After he had gone certificates duly signed and embellished with mermaids and sea urchins and starfish and ropes, with an octopus for a background and a picture of Neptune rising from the sea at the top and with the ship's seal affixed to bits of red, white and blue ribbon, were presented to all hands. Never again will a man who can show one of them have to take a dousing and barbering with suitable medical treatment on crossing the line.
The certificates read:
Domain of Neptunus Rex,
Ruler of the Raging Main.
To all Sailors, wherever ye may be, and to all Mermaids, Sea Serpents, Whales, Sharks, Porpoises, Dolphins, Skates, Eels, Suckers, Lobsters, Crabs, Pollywogs and other living things of the sea.
Greeting: Know ye that on this 6th day of January, 1908, in latitude 00,000 and longitude 37°, 11', W., there appeared within the limits of Our Royal Domain the U. S. S. Louisiana, bound southward for the Straits of Magellan and Pacific ports.
BE IT REMEMBERED